Healthcare And Medications
How Does Healthcare Affect Climate Change?
The UK health service roughly accounts for 4% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The main areas these are released are:
- Medicines, medical equipment and other equipment
- Energy and water usage
- Travel and Transport
NHS England is working towards a "net zero" target (releasing as many emissions as they are absorbing) by 2040, however there is still a long way to go and system changes will be needed
What Can I Do To Help - Medicines?
Medications will have been prescribed to you for a reason. DO NOT STOP TAKING ANY MEDICATIONS WITHOUT DISCUSSING WITH YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST
Medications are frequently wasted, often because they are ordered more frequently than they are needed, or because you have stopped taking a medication but your pharmacy has not been updated. Talk with your pharmacy to make sure you are only being supplied with the medications you need.
Many conditions can also be helped or prevented without medications. Exercising more and changing your diet to include more plant-based products can both help many medical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes
If you do have any unused medications, don't put them in the bin or flush them down the toilet, return them to your local pharmacy. If medications are sent to landfill or flushed down the toilet, they can end up in our rivers and seas and harm wildlife.
Talk to your GP or pharmacist to see if there are other ways your medications can change to reduce their environmental impact.
What Can I Do To Help - Travel and Transport?
Not every appointment requires a face-to-face interaction, though sometimes these can be helpful and necessary. Telephone, or even video consultations, can often meet your needs and will save you time and money on transport costs.
Your local practice or pharmacy might be in walking or cycling distance. If you are able to do so, consider walking or cycling rather than driving, or use public transport if it is available. Walking and cycling will help reduce your environmental impact and save you money too!
What Can I Do To Help - General Healthcare?
Engage with your local "Patient Participation Groups" at your local healthcare facility. Ask them what steps they are taking to reduce their environmental impact and ask how you can help
Write to your local MP about your concerns on how climate change affects your health and make sure it is on their agenda.
Talk to your friends, family and everyone else about how we can protect our health and our planet together!